6 March 2011

Next time we host Japanese exchange students, I want to pretend that my husband can't speak their language.  So many times in my life, I've wanted to be a fly on the wall, lingering around someone else's conversations without anyone knowing I'm there.  Then come exchange students and a dream fulfilled.
 
The exchange program encourages us to speak to our students in English and for them to do the same.  Except, there is such a huge language barrier that, Mr. Forget-me-not, often saves us from an excruciating round of charades.  So we cheat, a lot.  We speak in English.  Mr. Forget-me-not translates it into Japanese.  Then they respond in English.  Trust me, conversations go much further this way. 

Before we came clean, about our surprising translation services (thanks again, Dear), it was comical to listen to the things they'd say to each other in Japanese, not thinking that the Mister could understand them.  He'd turn to me and give me the play by play.   

We picked them up this morning and the kids were so excited that they all began jabbering at once.  With a new audience (and female at that!), Wooly began to charm them by quoting lines from his favorite movies (Toy Story, most likely).  The car fell silent and then, Miki, turned to, Yumi, and said in Japanese, "I have no idea what that kid just said."  Hilarious.  Don't feel bad, my little Asian friends, half the time I don't understand the kid either. 

As expected, our students spent most of their day taking pictures of our blond children.  The fascination is comical. 

Hibiscus would gladly pose for their cameras and then do her best to engage them in conversation, which turned into more nodding than speaking.  She tried to ask them if they play any instruments, dramatising the words as she spoke.  "Do you play the piano (wiggling her fingers over an air keyboard)?  Or the flute (puckering lips while holding an imaginary piccolo)?  You know...an in-stru-ment? (she said slowly, dragging out each syllable.)  Violin? (She bends her chin in place as if there is a violin resting on her shoulder.)"

And here comes the best line..."How about the maracas?"  No kidding.  Hibiscus asked them if they played the maracas.  Who knows, maybe they play the Andean zamponia?

It gets better!  Columbine joined in on the, Name that Instrument Game, and said in complete seriousness, "Yeah, like a kazoo.  Do you play that?"

Chances are, they understood enough of that conversation to be offended.  Unlikely, however, since Japanese are so gracious and polite.  We love having them in our home.  It makes the day so much fun.  Ours included shopping, Mr. Forget-me-not's basketball game, a shave ice, family pizza night, and a beach walk!  Wow...no wonder I'm tired.

 

While we strolled along at the beach, Columbine, asked, Miki, to write her name in the sand.  When she finished, Columbine looked down at the shoreline and said, "Miki!  Your name looks like Wooly's rocket." She's right--the similarity is striking.

The girls loved jumping waves on the shore.  Wooly preferred to jump Captain Commando style.  And Columbine was happy to get her kicks from flying a kite. 

The day ended with the most beautiful sunset.  The students tell us that in Japan, it's 1:00pm tomorrow.  While I know that's true, when I look through the lens of my camera to get the best angle and lighting of the smoky sunset in Hawaii, thinking about tomorrow doesn't even seem possible.     

Always on the grow,